Lets talk Surefire and Steamlight!

[Jon G23]

I want to update my lights. I have a Streamlight Stinger which is great and also have a Steamlight Scorpion, which too is good.

I am thinking of adding either a Surefire E2E (or E2D?) or maybe a Surefire 6P. But.... now I found the Streamlight STRION which is the same size as a 6P or Scorpion, but is rechargeable!!

Does anyone here use these three lights? I'd love to hear your opinions on these three lights if you own them or have worked with them.

Thanks a lot!!

Jon

[UVvis]

I actually have all of the above... I'm a flashlight geek...

I very much like the 6P over the scorpion. It has a better feel to the operation.

I really like the Strion because it has cheap replacement bulbs and it is my current car light. But I don't like having to center the bulbs to get a good beam.

The surefire E2e is one of the best lights to carry around in your pocket for going everywhere.

So I guess it depends on what you are looking for. The E2e is a great everyday keep in your pocket flashlight. The 6P is an alright all around, better than the scorpion, but not as good as many other of the "tactical" type lights. The Strion is a great keep in your car or beside your back door kinda light.

Instead of the 6P I would consider the G2Z as it is as tougher and more grippy but costs a little more.

[nickdrak]

I dont care for rechargeables at all. They always run down when you need them to work the most. You can get good lithium batteries for about $1.25 each if you shop around as apposed to $8.00 each at Walgreens, and they have a 10 year shelf life. Rechargeable cells wear-out far too soon, and if you dont have an extra rechargeable and/or electricity to charge your light, you are screwed. As long as you keep a good stash of lithiums available, you will have light!

I love my U2 Digital Ultra for Police work (turn it down for vehicle searches and conserve your batteries, or turn it up for building searches), but the tailcaps just dont seem to hold up for me. I am on my third replacement tailcap in about a year and a half. The original one still works, but the rubber fell off of the button. The first replacement Surefire sent me never worked. The second one worked fine for about a month. Now it just works sometimes.

I really like the L1 LumaMax for a pocket light, but it is not very bright. The L2 LumaMax is only slightly longer, but super bright.

[yrac]

Jon G23 -

Give us a little more information about your intended use of the light. The choices will be different based on whether you are looking for an EDC light to integrate into your concealed carry gear, a "nightstand light" or a dedicated duty light.

From a civilian EDC standpoint, I find the Surefire E2E to be hard to beat. It possesses adequate brightness for my purposes, and it is small enough that it can be carried very unobtrusively, regardless of the attire I am required to wear. I prefer the E2E with its smooth bezel over the E2D with its teeth. This is purely a matter of personal preference, and is in no way a negative on the E2D. I just find the E2E to be easier on clothing, and also slightly shorter.

While I have not used one, the L4 would probably also be an excellent light for my intended use. Others whose opinions I greatly respect have spoken highly of the Surefire A2 and L2 lights. They are roughly an inch longer than the E2 series, but still very compact. I have just settled on the E2E because it gets the job done for me, and also provides a lot of bang for the buck.

None of the above is meant as a knock on any of the slightly larger lights such as the 6P or a number of lights in the Pentagon line. I own a number of lights in that size range. I just find that, for my EDC purposes, the E2 is a high quality, cost effective light that is ALWAYS with me. That last point seals the deal for me. I don't want to need a light for any reason (defensive or utility) and find that I left it at home because it was just a little too bulky for my wardrobe.

There are a number of individuals who frequent this forum who use lights in the course of military and LE duty. They are in a better position to comment on the lights best suited for duty use.

[nelybarg]

i'm a cop. i carry an E2D on my belt at work. I use it daily. i use one of the large streamlight rechargables that i keep plugged into the car for traffic stops, but for the most part, my E2D is what i use for light probably 85-90% of the time. its got mad sharp teeth and if you're not careful will shred your clothing over time. i keep mine in a leather pouch on the belt.

i like how the e2d has a recessed "click" button as opposed to one that is twist one/off/momentary press as well. and the button is protected so you shouldnt have to worry about the rubber getting ripped off or anything.

i've had mine for probably 2 years and its been handled roughly (not abused) and it doesnt show any wear on it at all.

[Jon G23]

I will use it for EDC and use it for any lighting need. I am a civilian so will (hopefully) not need it for defense or offense. I would use it with my handguns as needed of course, so I want a high quality light that I can depend on. Maybe the surefire which is similar in size to the E2E, BUT has the high and low power adjustment built-in would be best?

I am leaning toward getting a surefire now, probably the E2E, but I am open to other ideas. I have held them all at a local store and the surefires just feel better! :-)

[nickdrak]

Make sure you check out the L2 LumaMax!

[nyeti]

The Surefire E2's are just plain outstanding daily carry lights. I have all of the listed lights, and my daily carry light in my pocket is an E2D.

[DocGKR]

I have gone to the L4's for daily carry--they are fantastic with perfect light output for indoor searching! I also like how the light slowly dims as the batteries wear down vs. the quick fade to darkness on the 6P's I used to use.

[madryan]

I'm a huge fan of the Surefire stuff. I have several streamlight lights, but IMO, you can't beat a surefire. I also like the Inova T-3 which I have mounted on my AR. It's plenty bright and throws really well for an LED.

I just purchased a Surefire L-5 which is their 100 lumen combat light. The L-4 is probably in my future as well as it's also 100 lumen but smaller. The main difference is that the L-5 throws better than the L-4 due to the larger, deeper head.

I have an old Scorpion kicking around and it works OK, but once you get used to really bright LED lights it's tough to go back to borderline incandescents. I like the whiter light and reliability of an LED.

That being said, I'll most likely score an E2d for jogging around my area and whatnot. I have several neighborhoods full of predominately crack-heads and meth addicts. If you shine your light in their eyes at night they freak.